State Senator Patty Ritchie met Monday with Gov. Cuomo’s nominee to lead the New York Power Authority, and discussed ways the agency can help Northern New York create jobs and improve the economy.

“I was pleased to have this chance to meet with Gil Quiniones to discuss ways we can work together to help grow the economy of Upstate, Central and Northern New York,” Senator Ritchie said. “NYPA needs someone who knows the issues and can hit the ground running, and I was very encouraged by Mr. Quiniones’ depth of knowledge and obvious concern for the needs of our region.”

Advisory Group Holds First Meeting; Power Upgrades, Overregulation Top Priority List

State Agriculture Committee Chair Patty Ritchie is turning to the experts for ways to help Central and Northern New York farmers grow their businesses, create jobs and strengthen the region’s leading industry.

Senator Ritchie held the first meeting this week of her 13-member Agriculture Advisory Council, and fielded ideas that ranged from the need for power system upgrades to allow dairy farms to expand, to examples of overly cumbersome red tape that makes it tougher for farmers to become more efficient, expand production and markets, and lower costs.

State Senators Patty Ritchie and Joseph A. Griffo today applauded Gov. Cuomo’s selection of the first-ever St. Lawrence County resident to serve on the board of the agency that oversees the sprawling Adirondacks.

When I saw the look on Ethel Barnes face last June when I returned her “Gold Star Mother” license plates, I was reminded why I originally went into public service.

State officials had repeatedly told the Central New York woman that the license plates that had served as our state’s tribute to her only son, Robert, who had died for his country in Vietnam in 1967, were gone and could not be replaced.

State Senator Patty Ritchie hailed the signing of a new law she supported that will insure that families dealing with autism can obtain the kind of treatment they need.

“Early diagnosis and treatment can make a critical difference for the one out of 110 children and their families affected by autism spectrum disorder,” said Senator Patty Ritchie. “With more than 30,000 children under the age of 19 in New York State identified with autism, this legislation will insure that families can obtain the care they need when they need it.”

Senator’s Request Leads To NY ALERT For Black River High Water, Flooding

State Senator Patty Ritchie today announced that regulators who control the flow of the Black River have agreed to her request to join New York’s instant alert system to give homeowners and businesses early warning in the event of flooding or other emergencies.

Brookfield Renewable Power, the owner of the hydroelectric dam at Heuvelton, completed restocking the Oswegatchie River upstream from the village in the wake of last spring’s dam break.

About 1,200 Walleye measuring four to six inches in length were released into the Oswegatchie River.

Senator Ritchie had urged the the company to restock the river in order to remediate the impact of a June 8th rupture of the Heuvelton hydroelectric dam that drained millions of gallons of water from the reservoir.